Erosion of our “Bill of Rights”

Erosion of our “Bill of Rights”

Short, simple, straightforward statements make up our Bill of Rights. This type of structure makes a law difficult to change. Complex laws are open to wider interpretation causing loopholes for transgressors to exploit.

“What if" are the two words most dangerous to any law. These words are used to try and create a broader definition of the law which weakens the law by creating loopholes.

Many years ago while working construction on 544 foot concrete cooling towers, I figured out why there will always be deaths in construction. The company I worked for was Research Cotrell. They had an accident where a scaffolding collapsed and killed all 57 people who fell from their tower which was under construction in West Virginia. They were doing exactly the same type of work I was doing at the Berwick nuclear plant. A company and also the workers will always try to do a job just a little bit easier or quicker. When this happens without bad consequences they will go just a little bit further the next time. Eventually someone goes beyond the limit and the whole thing collapses. Construction workers call this building a mouse trap.

There is no question that our lawmakers and judges are trying to redefine some of our most basic rights under the Constitution. By adding words to the simplistic laws they create loopholes for erosion of those basic rights. How far can they go without creating a mouse trap that suddenly closes around us?